Medidor multicota para piezas producidas por máquinas-herramienta

Referencia OEPM: P9600748.-- Fecha de solicitud: 28/03/1996.-- Titular: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC).El medidor multicota para piezas producidas por máquinas-herramienta es un sistema que permite medir simultáneamente hasta 16 cotas en piezas producidas por máquinas-herramienta, visualizando sobre una pantalla de ordenador los resultados en forma analógica sobre una columna, con indicación de límites de tendencia y tolerancia, y digital sobre un indicador numérico. Consta de un multiplexor analógico (1, ver figura en archivo de texto completo) cuya salida se entrega a un amplificador (6) que junto con el divisor programable (8) y el conversor analógico/digital (7), proporciona la medida del canal seleccionado (5). Un circuito temporizador (10 y 11) facilita la realización de medidas promediadas y a intervalos regulares. Dispone de salidas de control (22) indicadoras de: pieza fuera de tolerancia, corrección paralela o cónica, positiva o negativa, cambio o regeneración de herramienta y situación de alarma (15 a 21). La presencia de pieza puede detectarse automáticamente o bajo comando (14). Dispone de amplias facilidades de programación y calibrado, para ser utilizado con una gran diversidad de sensores y aplicaciones.Peer reviewe

Latest Cretaceous palaeogeographic evolution of northeast Iberia: Insights from the Campanian continental Montalbán subbasin (Spain)

This work characterizes for the first time the 500–700 m-thick uppermost Cretaceous continental sedimentary succession of the Allueva Fm recorded in the northeastern margin of the Iberian basin, in the Montalbán subbasin (Maestrazgo domain, Spain). The middle-upper Campanian age of this unit constrained here by new paleomagnetic and biostratigraphic data involves major revision of previous stratigraphic and palaeogeographic interpretations. The uplift of the northern marginal areas of the Montalbán subbasin onwards from the middle Campanian supplied the coarse terrigenous-clastic sediments common in the alluvial Allueva Fm. Moreover, a sharp increase of the sedimentation rates (from 4 to 19 cm/ky) from the lower to the middle-upper part of the Allueva Fm has been related to further increase of the tectonic activity during the middle part of the late Campanian. Also relevant are the new discovered vertebrate sites mostly found in the marginal areas of a large lacustrine-palustrine carbonate system developed during the latest Campanian. Vertebrate sites include a fossil assemblage with abundance of titanosaur sauropod dinosaurs as well as the presence of ornithopod dinosaurs and crocodylomorphs. A review of the dinosaur fossil sites recorded in other Iberian subbasins shows a similar fossil assembage occurrence during the late Campanian–earliest Maastrichtian timespan, previous to the faunal turnover that took place in the Ibero-Armorican landmass around the onset of the late Maastrichtian. The stratigraphic, sedimentological and paleontological characterization of the successions recorded during the initial stages of development of the Montalbán subbasin have major implication to understand the latest Cretaceous palaeogeographic evolution of northeast Iberia. Comparative review to other latest Cretaceous continental successions deposited in other domains of the Iberian basin indicates a south to north migration of newly developed subsident subbasins: during the Campanian (South Iberian domain), during the middle-late Campanian (northern Maestrazgo domain), and during the Maastrichtian (central Castillian domain)

The L-type voltage-gated calcium channel modulates microglial pro-inflammatory activity

Under pathological conditions, microglia, the resident CNS immune cells, become reactive and release pro-inflammatory cytokines and neurotoxic factors. We investigated whether this phenotypic switch includes changes in the expression of the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) in a rat model of N-methyl-d-aspartate-induced hippocampal neurodegeneration. Double immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy evidenced that activated microglia express the L-type VGCC. We then analyzed whether BV2 microglia express functional L-type VGCC, and investigated the latter's role in microglial cytokine release and phagocytic capacity. Activated BV2 microglia express the CaV1.2 and CaV1.3 subunits of the L-type VGCC determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot and immunocytochemistry. Depolarization with KCl induced a Ca2+ entry facilitated by Bay k8644 and partially blocked with nifedipine, which also reduced TNF-α and NO release by 40%. However, no nifedipine effect on BV2 microglia viability or phagocytic capacity was observed. Our results suggest that in CNS inflammatory processes, the L-type VGCC plays a specific role in the control of microglial secretory activity

Synchronism system for generating ultrasonic images of complex geometry pieces using industrial robots

13th EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING LISBON – PORTUGAL, 3 – 7 JULY 2023This paper presents a synchronism system that has been designed to facilitate the generation of ultrasonic images of pieces with complex geometry through the use of industrial robots. Modern robotic manipulators and, more specifically, industrial robotic arms integrated with server computers, sensors and actuators have revolutionized the way automated non-destructive testing is performed. Currently there are commercial industrial robots that have the precision, speed and repetitiveness in their movements that make them suitable for use in numerous non-destructive testing inspections whose designs are carried out by small and medium sized specialized companies. Automatic ultrasonic inspection of complex parts remains one of the most difficult challenges according to the specific and increasingly exigent demands of the markets. The closed configuration of these complex robotic arms makes it difficult to maintain adequate synchronism between the movement of the robot and the acquisition of the data, making it difficult to generate ultrasonic images consistent with the geometry of the part. This is a serious problem in the inspection of aerospace components where high quality is necessary to assess the condition of the inspected component. In this paper, we present an autonomous independent external system that provides control signals to synchronize the ultrasound system with the robot trajectories without needing to access its position in real time. A methodology to obtain the timing pattern for a given part inspected with a given robotic system will also be presented here.This research has been carried out within the project CUVICO (EXP 00142128 / PTAP-20211001) partially funded by the CDTI, with the support of the Ministry of Science and Innovation, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (financed by Next Generation EU funds, including the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism) and NDT- 3DHeritage project financed by the Spanish Research Council with reference 202250E04

Implementation of a PCR-based strategy to control an outbreak by Serratia marcescens in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

© The Author(s) 2023. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.[Objectives] To evaluate the clinical and epidemiological impact of a new molecular surveillance strategy based on qPCR to control an outbreak by Serratia marcescens in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).[Methods] We design a specific qPCR for the detection of S. marcescens in rectal swabs of patients admitted to a NICU. We divided the surveillance study into two periods: (a) the pre-PCR, from the outbreak declaration to the qPCR introduction, and (b) the PCR period, from the introduction of the qPCR until the outbreak was solved. In all cases, S. marcescens isolates were recovered and their clonal relationship was analysed by PFGE. Control measures were implemented during the outbreak. Finally, the number of bloodstream infections (BSI) was investigated in order to evaluate the clinical impact of this molecular strategy.[Results] Nineteen patients colonized/infected by S. marcescens were detected in the pre-PCR period (October 2020–April 2021). On the contrary, after the PCR implementation, 16 new patients were detected. The PFGE revealed 24 different pulsotypes belonging to 7 different clonal groups, that were not overlapping at the same time. Regarding the clinical impact, 18 months after the qPCR implementation, no more outbreaks by S. marcescens have been declared in the NICU of our hospital, and only 1 episode of BSI has occurred, compared with 11 BSI episodes declared previously to the outbreak control.[Conclusions] The implementation of this qPCR strategy has proved to be a useful tool to control the nosocomial spread of S. marcescens in the NICU.A.R-V. and GM-G are supported by the Subprograma Juan Rodés, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spain (JR20/00023 and JR19/00039, respectively). JMOR is supported by the Subprograma Sara Borrell, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spain (CD21/00098).Peer reviewe

P2X7 receptor induces mitochondrial failure in monocytes and compromises NLRP3 inflammasome activation during sepsis

International audienceSepsis is characterized by a systemic inflammatory response followed by immunosuppres-sion of the host. Metabolic defects and mitochondrial failure are common in immunocom-promised patients with sepsis. The NLRP3 inflammasome is important for establishing an inflammatory response after activation by the purinergic P2X7 receptor. Here, we study a cohort of individuals with intra-abdominal origin sepsis and show that patient monocytes have impaired NLRP3 activation by the P2X7 receptor. Furthermore, most sepsis-related deaths are among patients whose NLRP3 activation is profoundly altered. In monocytes from sepsis patients, the P2X7 receptor is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, activation of the P2X7 receptor results in mitochondrial damage, which in turn inhibits NLRP3 activation by HIF-1α. We show that mortality increases in a mouse model of sepsis when the P2X7 receptor is activated in vivo. These data reveal a molecular mechanism initiated by the P2X7 receptor that contributes to NLRP3 impairment during infection

Polarimetric imaging for the detection of synthetic models of SARS-CoV-2: A proof of concept

Objective: To conduct a proof-of-concept study of the detection of two synthetic models of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using polarimetric imaging. Approach: Two SARS-CoV-2 models were prepared as engineered lentiviruses pseudotyped with the G protein of the vesicular stomatitis virus, and with the characteristic Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Samples were prepared in two biofluids (saline solution and artificial saliva), in four concentrations, and deposited as 5-µL droplets on a supporting plate. The angles of maximal degree of linear polarization (DLP) of light diffusely scattered from dry residues were determined using Mueller polarimetry from87 samples at 405 nm and 514 nm. A polarimetric camera was used for imaging several samples under 380–420 nm illumination at angles similar to those of maximal DLP. Per-pixel image analysis included quantification and combination of polarization feature descriptors in 475 samples. Main results: The angles (from sample surface) of maximal DLP were 3° for 405 nm and 6° for 514 nm. Similar viral particles that differed only in the characteristic spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2, their corresponding negative controls, fluids, and the sample holder were discerned at 10-degree and 15-degree configurations. Significance: Polarimetric imaging in the visible spectrum may help improve fast, non-contact detection and identification of viral particles, and/or other microbes such as tuberculosis, in multiple dry fluid samples simultaneously, particularly when combined with other imaging modalities. Further analysis including realistic concentrations of real SARS-CoV-2 viral particles in relevant human fluids is required. Polarimetric imaging under visible light may contribute to a fast, cost-effective screening of SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens when combined with other imaging modalities.12 página

Hyperspectral image processing for the identification and quantification of lentiviral particles in fluid samples

Optical spectroscopic techniques have been commonly used to detect the presence of biofilm-forming pathogens (bacteria and fungi) in the agro-food industry. Recently, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy revealed that it is also possible to detect the presence of viruses in animal and vegetal tissues. Here we report a platform based on visible and NIR (VNIR) hyperspectral imaging for non-contact, reagent free detection and quantification of laboratory-engineered viral particles in fluid samples (liquid droplets and dry residue) using both partial least square-discriminant analysis and artificial feed-forward neural networks. The detection was successfully achieved in preparations of phosphate buffered solution and artificial saliva, with an equivalent pixel volume of 4 nL and lowest concentration of 800 TU.mu L-1. This method constitutes an innovative approach that could be potentially used at point of care for rapid mass screening of viral infectious diseases and monitoring of the SARS-CoV- 2 pandemic.This research was funded by grants number COV20-00080 and COV20-00173 of the 2020 Emergency Call for Research Projects about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the COVID-19 disease of the Institute of Health 'Carlos III', Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, and by grant number EQC2019-006240-P of the 2019 Call for Acquisition of Scientific Equipment, FEDER Program, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. This work has been supported by the European Commission through the JRC HUMAINT project. ABR was supported by grant number RTI2018-094465-J funded by the Spanish National Agency of Research. The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the members of the EOD-CBRN Group of the Spanish National Police, whose identities cannot be disclosed, and who are represented here by JMNG. Authors thank continuous support from their institutions

Sports, morality and body. The voices of sportswomen under Franco's dictatorship

The aim of this research is to study sportswomen's perceptions and experiences of women's sport in Francoist Spain (1939-1975). The main objective is to analyse the social, moral and aesthetic elements that are present in the experience of these athletes. This study was carried out with an intentional sample of 24 women from Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, Basque Country, Catalonia and Valencia. They were interviewed by a network of researchers from six universities. Outstanding results show the existence of social limitations to start sports practice (particularly in the post-war period); the importance of sport as a character-building aspect; sport's remarkable influence on their body self-concept; and the incidence on sports of the mainstream moral discourse, which created a female model that even affected sports clothing. The main conclusion is that sportswomen in that period were pioneers and had to fight against most of society in order to develop their facet as athletes, as they would not follow the established model

Twitter as a Tool for Teaching and Communicating Microbiology: The #microMOOCSEM Initiative

Online social networks are increasingly used by the population on a daily basis. They are considered a powerful tool for science communication and their potential as educational tools is emerging. However, their usefulness in academic practice is still a matter of debate. Here, we present the results of our pioneering experience teaching a full Basic Microbiology course via Twitter (#microMOOCSEM), consisting of 28 lessons of 40-45 minutes duration each, at a tweet per minute rate during 10 weeks. Lessons were prepared by 30 different lecturers, covering most basic areas in Microbiology and some monographic topics of general interest (malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, etc.). Data analysis on the impact and acceptance of the course were largely affirmative, promoting a 330% enhancement in the followers and a >350-fold increase of the number of visits per month to the Twitter account of the host institution, the Spanish Society for Microbiology. Almost one third of the course followers were located overseas. Our study indicates that Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC) via Twitter are highly dynamic, interactive, and accessible to great audiences, providing a valuable tool for social learning and communicating science. This strategy attracts the interest of students towards particular topics in the field, efficiently complementing customary academic activities, especially in multidisciplinary areas like Microbiology.Versión del edito